45 ACP brass

[beemer]

I was depriming and cleaning a mixed batch of around 350 pieces of 45 acp brass. I picked up the first two cases off the top of the pile, they had a very large flash hole, a 1/8 drill bit was a loose fit. Sort of odd, all the rest were normal, they were both Winchester and the only ones like that. The flash hole didn't seem to have been bored out.

Anyone seen anything like this?

[Der Gebirgsjager]

Just a possibility-- had they been reloaded before? I'm currently loading about 850 empties that have and unknown (but multiple) number of previous loadings and ran across a few that the decapping pin wouldn't punch out the used primers and I had to enlarge the holes. These were S&B cases.

DG

[challenger_i]

I am thinking you found a couple of rounds someone used with wax or rubber bullets. Cast the aside and do not use them.
As regards the S&B flash holes, I have found that issue on several occasions.

[higgins]

Many years ago Winchester loaded LPP size nontoxic primers in some .45acp loads. Apparently they enlarged the flash hole to ease the backpressure on the primer; the nontoxic primers were said to be prone to back out with a normal size flash hole. The advice given by Winchester was to load the cases with oversize flash holes as usual. That's what I did and never encountered any problems.

It's odd this topic came up today, as today I picked up a few Winchester .45acp cases that were stamped NT and loaded with SPP-size primers that were crimped in place, I suppose to prevent them backing out. I don't understand why Winchester added a production step when Blazer and Federal don't bother to crimp their SPP-size NT primers.

[ioon44]

I have seen the Winchester with the large flash hole, they didn't seem to make any difference when loading and shooting.

I am seeing a lot of Norma 9 mm brass with super small flash holes; they have to be drilled out or pitched depending on my mood.

[Der Gebirgsjager]

By the way, I saw a decapping die for undersized holes on Lee's website just yesterday.

DG

[higgins]

I encountered tiny flash holes in some Igman 6.5x55 brass. At the time I didn't have a sturdy universal decapping die so I chucked a decapping pin in my drill and ground it down with sandpaper. After I decapped them I drilled out the flash holes to normal size. I had enough of the 6.5x55 brass to make the project worthwhile. I have seen the Norma 9mm with undersize flash holes; I toss them in the recycle bucket - not worth the trouble for something as plentiful as 9mm.

[Mk42gunner]

In my opinion, .45 ACP has a large primer because it was developed from the basic 8mm Mauser/.30-03 case and primers in 1905 weren't what they are today. It should have went to small primers when the .38 Special and .357 Magnum did.

But there were all those millions of rounds in military magazines (storage magazines, not firearms magazines) and the gov't arsenals didn't want to change. Even though Frankford Arsenal was supposed to have its own unique size (I have never seen one).

Robert

[georgerkahn]

I was depriming and cleaning a mixed batch of around 350 pieces of 45 acp brass. I picked up the first two cases off the top of the pile, they had a very large flash hole, a 1/8 drill bit was a loose fit. Sort of odd, all the rest were normal, they were both Winchester and the only ones like that. The flash hole didn't seem to have been bored out.

Anyone seen anything like this?

I concur with post #3 -- suggesting rubber or wax -- primer only, no powder -- was used on these. I got into shooting .44 and .45 wax bullets a few years back -- TONS of fun; really cheap so to do; and not loud enough to rile neighbors... However, pretty much all wax-bullet cases employ #209 scattergun primers...
I also concur with NOT loading these with regular pistol primers and smokeless powder propellant.
geo

[Shepherd2]

Many years ago (25+) I ran into several hundred Winchester 45 ACP cases marked NT and with very large flash holes. I contacted Winchester and they replied that they were for non-toxic rounds and could be reloaded like cases with normal sized flash holes. I reloaded them many times with no problems.

[georgerkahn]

Many years ago (25+) I ran into several hundred Winchester 45 ACP cases marked NT and with very large flash holes. I contacted Winchester and they replied that they were for non-toxic rounds and could be reloaded like cases with normal sized flash holes. I reloaded them many times with no problems.

When I was a kid a local mom/pop store sold loaded -- roughly .30-'06 size and shape -- cartridges made of milk chocolate. (In retrospect, I do wonder if they used a real bullet mould?) Anyhoo -- the case was dark chocolate with the "bullet" tip white chocolate. My sister did not like the white chocolate so she'd break hers off and I'd get a "bonus". When I read your, "non-toxic rounds" you brought back a memory I had forgotten for many, many years -- THANK YOU!
This aside -- once again perhaps illustrating my ignorance: WHAT might be a "non-toxic round"? :) :) :)

[Dan Cash]

Many years ago Winchester loaded LPP size nontoxic primers in some .45acp loads. Apparently they enlarged the flash hole to ease the backpressure on the primer; the nontoxic primers were said to be prone to back out with a normal size flash hole. The advice given by Winchester was to load the cases with oversize flash holes as usual. That's what I did and never encountered any problems.




^^^^^This^^^^^

[georgerkahn]

^^^^^This^^^^^

Thanks! I (hope to :)) learn sum-thin' new every day! I had heard of primers which do not send lead-styph??? in the air, etc. Probably for indoor range (e.g., LEO qualification) use, non-toxic primers DO make a lot of good sense! I was thinking of the bullets -- not the primers, and I did get a good memory of those chocolate bullets at the corner store on 1st Avenue in New York City...
geo

[Bmi48219]

….regards the S&B flash holes, I have found that issue on several occasions.

I use a Lee punch and rawhide mallet, allows me to feel how tight primer pockets are. I’ve given up on S&B 45 acp brass. Tightest primer pockets I’ve ever seen, almost like they’re crimped.

[ebb]

It is my understanding that the NT loaded ammo is loaded with a lead free primer mostly for indoor use. The modern NT l've seen in 45acp are the small primer cases that cause so much trouble in a progressive set up.

[45DUDE]

I have a few large Winchester also.